Motorized rack and pinion actuated track mounted tool carriage

ABSTRACT

Tool-carrying track-confined and guided vehicles have running gear including roller assemblies of which those on one side may be so moved relative to those on other side as to effect release for removal of the vehicle from the track. The moveable roller assemblies are journalled for swivelling in opposite ends of a horizontal beam connected to the vehicle underside for limited rotation about a central vertical post and for transverse spatial adjustment. Gear transversely shiftable provides optimum loading on all roller assemblies.

United States Patent Harris 1 Sept. 4, 1973 MOTORIZED RACK AND PlNlON2,598,251 5 1952 Gesner 308/6 R ACTUATED TRACK MOUNTED TOOL 2,265,08612/1941 Spiro 308/6 R X 2,602,710 7/1952 GCSI'ICI' 308/6 R CARRlAGE2,992,620 7/1961 Cherkas 104 119 Michael Faulkner Harris, Willowdale,Ontario, Canada Inventor:

Assignee: Gulley Company Limited, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada Filed:Apr. 28, 1971 Appl. No.: 138,184

U.S. Cl 308/6 R, 83/635, 104/246,

105/29 R, 173/32, 228/29, 219/ int. CL... B23k 37/02, F160 21/00, Fl6c29/12 Field of Search 83/635; 104/119,

173/32; 219/125; 266/23 K, 23 M; 228/29; 308/6 R References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 12/1969 Gulley 173/32 Primary ExaminerGerald M. ForlenzaAssistant Examiner-Howard Beltran Attorney-Cecil C. Kent 57] ABSTRACTTool-carrying track-confined and guided vehicles have running gearincluding roller assemblies of which those 14 Claims, 5 Drawing FiguresPATENIED E 4 I975 samanrz FIG.

MOTORIZED RACK AND PINION ACTUATED TRACK MOUNTED TOOL CARRIAGE FIELD OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to a means for releasably locking acarriage to a length of track via rollers on the carriage and whilecontinuing to permit the carriage to travel via said rollers upon saidtrack. The form of carriage mainly contemplated is of the various formsemployed for carrying a welding or cutting tool. The track contemplatedis of extruded aluminum or the like wherein the roller carrying portionsare on opposite edges and parallel, the track being of unit constructionand adapted to be secured as by magnet means or therwise to variousconformations of platework to be cut, welded, or otherwise worked upon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The present invention particularlyconstitutes an improvement over the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.3,485,306 to .I.M. Gulley dated Dec. 23, 1969. In that patent, in FIG. 1thereof is shown a carriage of the form contemplated, and alength oftrack of the form contemplated. In FIGS. through of said patent may beseen the particular manner in which the carriage is locked to and may beunlocked from the associated track of which the present invention is animprovement.

The disadvantages of the arrangements illustrated in FIG. 10 through 15of the said patent and the advantages of the arrangements for the samegeneral purpose set forth herein are summarized as follows: 7

l. The vertical post, pin or pivot-point about which the beam rotateshorizontally to a limited extent with a swivelling roller assembly uponeach end thereof compensates for any slight difference which might existor develop in the diameter of any roller or in wear of the bearing ofany roller with the result that optimum loading exists at all times onall four wheel assemblies, which wheel assemblies are all at all timesin contact with the associated track bearing surfaces when the inventedclamping assembly is in locking position. This is in contrast to thesituation which can obtain by the use of the gate 58 in the said patent.With that arrangement, the stub-shafts of the roller assemblies 50 mightvary very slightly as to length. The rollers might wear, or the bearingsof the same might wear. The gate might not lock down in proper endbearingrelationship with the adjacent stub-shaft. In any of such casesthere would not be automatic compensation such as to provide optimumloading on all four assemblies. By contrast chattering for excamplecould develop and a gradually magnifying decrease in efficiency.

2. The carriage may frequently be crawling horizontally along a verticalsurface. It may be heavily loaded with a cutting or welding tool and bythe drag of cable so associated therewith. In the case of the patentedcarriage, if the gate 58 under such circumstances be on the upper side,the end-thrust of the adjustable or longer stub-shaft 54 against thegate which is only locked to the associated rocker midway of its length)is sufiicient to cause distortion about one or both gate-ends relativeto the locked-down-mid point of the gate.

Such distortion cannot so easily occur with the arrangements disclosedherein due to the tendency of the beam to assist in even loaddistribution on both the roller assemblies attached to the ends thereof.

3. A further disadvantage of the patented rollerlocking arrangementswell illustrated by reference to FIG. 11 thereof lies in the bendingmoment on the unsupported inwardly-extended portions of the left-handstub-shafts 54 which carry the transversely moveable roller pairs (seealso FIG. 12). No corresponding bending moment can take place with theclamping assembly herein partly due of course to the fact that there isno longer any unsupported stub-shaft portion, besides which torsion dueto the weight of a loaded carriage travelling horizontally, upon theswivelling roller pairs is eliminated by the herein arrangement ofhangers preferably cast solid with the carriage-underside, and the pairof spaced and parallel stiffening and guide means which bridge the lowerends of the said hangers and the adjacent rocker flange.

With the foregoing in view and such further or other purposes,advantages or novel features as may become apparent from considerationof this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists ofthe inventive concept which is comprised, embodied, embraced, orincluded in the method, process, construction, composition, arrangementor combination of parts, or new use of any of the foregoing, hereinexemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept,reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an underside perspective representation of the wheel or rollerclamping assembly constituting the present invention and showing thewheel or roller advancing and retracting assembly in a condition ofpartial retraction.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 but depictingthe wheel or roller advancing the retracting assembly in a condition ofsomewhat greater advance.

FIG. 3 is an underside plan view of a carriage equipped with the presentinvention showing the wheel or roller advancing and retracting assemblyin a condition of substantially maximum advance.

FIG. 4 is a perspective representation of a tool holding carriage suchas that with which the invention of FIG. I through 3 hereof may beequipped, the carriage shown mounted upon a stretch of track means whichin turn is magnetically held to a piece of work.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional representation substantially on the line 5-5of FIG. 3 and showing the wheel or roller avancing and retractingassembly in advanced condition so that the associated carriage is shownlocked rollably on to the track means.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts in the severalFigures.

PRELIMINARY DEFINITIONAL DESCRIPTION Initially describing the subjectmatter hereof in terms generally consonant with those by which the samehas been defined and claimed as an invention, the wheel or rollerclamping assembly generally designated by the reference numeral 10 isfor use in combination with vehicle 12, track means 14, and restrictingmeans 16 (for confining said vehicle to the vehicle-contacting portions18 of said track means), and transversely variably spaced wheel orroller means 20 which are rollably and lockably engageable with trackmeans 14, said clamping assembly comprising in combination a two-pointload-balancing roller-to-track locking and releasing means 22 moveabletowards or away from said contacting portions, a mounting assembly 24 inwhich said locking and releasing means may be moved, and manuallyoperable means 26 for moving said locking and releasing means towards oraway from said vehicle contacting portions of said track means.

The aforesaid restricting means 16 in the embodiment illustratedcomprise the recess of V-conformation or otherwise best to be seen inFIG. 2 and the elongated complementary conformation similarly numbered16 of FIGS. 4 and 5. Restricting means for confining the vehicle to thetrack means could of course reside in a variety of receding orprojecting complementary configurations of and in co-operativerelationship between a track means and wheel or roller pairs, orindividual wheels or rollers.

The roller means 20 are preferably characterized by being in the form ofa pair of swivelling rollers or roller assemblies 28 arranged in axiallyco-planar, axially angular relationship so as to present a recess 30 onthe common axial plane of said pair and which recess is engaged by theelongated conformation already designated 16 on the opposite edges oftrack means 14.

The clamping assembly includes a horizontally disposed beam generallydesignated 32, the roller assemblies being attached to the opposite endsthereof. Beam 32 is rotatable clockwise and counter clockwise through alimited arc as indicated by the double-headed arrows 34 in FIG. 3 aboutthe center of said beam which center is occupied by a vertical post 36forming a component of said locking and releasing means 22. Beam 32 isrotatably mounted on post 36, the latter being provided with ascrew-threaded aperture 38 at right angles to its vertical axis 40.Screw means 42 extend through aperture 38 to actuate post 36transversely and thereby move beam 32 wholly sideways toward or awayfrom the vehicle contacting portions 18 of track means 14.

Mounting assembly 24 includes guide means generally designated 44 forcontrolling the inward and outward movement of beam 32 to the linear atright angles to the direction of travel of vehicle or carriage 12 asindicated by the double-headed arrows 46.

Manually operable means 26 comprise the aforesaid screw means 42 and theturnpiece 48 as the main constituent parts of same. The screw means 42are positioned for rotation without thrust inat least one rocker flange50 of a laterally arranged parallel pair of the same on the flanks 52,the screw means extending inwardly from said flange through which thesame projects as shown.

COMPLETE DESCRIPTION The clamping assembly 10 is suitably locatedbeneath and to one side of the vehicle such as 12. It may take the formof an accessory capable of being secured as by screw means to thevehicle although much to be preferred is a clamping assembly themounting assembly 24 of which is integral with the vehicle as best shownin FIG. 1 where the pair of spaced and vertically dependent hangers 54are casten bloc with the vehicle 12. However, due to the possibility ofthe clamping assembly being in the form of an attachable accessory itshould be explained that rocker flange 50 or at least the centralportion thereof through which the screw means 42 extend, should beconsidered as part of the manually operable means 26. In fact it shouldbe so considered in any event being essential for the rotation withoutPositioned within the volume of space bounded by the hangers 54 and theplates 56 and 58 is the aforesaid post 36, same being held non-rotatablyat such location by means of the squared post-end portion 60 wherein thetwo parallel faces are held against rotation by the inner surfaces ofplates 56 and 58.

Screw means 42 is rotatable by means of the manually operable means 26already referred to, same taking such a form as a hexagonal head 62through which passes a turnbar 64. To the inner side of the head 62 issecured an enlarged screw-threaded portion 66 to which is threadablyconnected the external nut 68. The nut bears against rocker flange 50upon the external side thereof. Bearable rotatably against the innersurface of the rocker flange is a collar 70 through which and the shankor means 42 extends diametrically the locking pin 72. As a result itwill be plainly apparent that the screw-threaded shank or means 42 maybe rotated without any longitudinal movement. In doing so it carries thepost 36 to right or left (with respect to FIG. 2) with it.

Beam 32 is centrally journalled on post 36 for the limited horizontalrotation illustrated and already referred to which is the reason for theprovision of the enlarged apertures 74 and 76 upon either side of thepost best to be seen in FIG. 2 and the former also in FIG. 1. The postextends between the undersurface 78 0f the associated vehicle floor andthe upper surface of the plates 56 and 58 but with sufficient toleranceto permit rotation thereof as indicated.

As already indicated the roller assemblies 20 are attached to theopposite ends of the beam 32 as shown.- The same being free to swivel asthe roller assemblies 80 projecting inwardly from the opposite side ofthe vehicle and which roller assemblies are incapable of lateral ortransverse adjustment inwardly or outwardly.

From all the foregoing it will be apparent that, referring to FIG. 5,the described clamping assembly 10 which occupies the limits indicatedby the doubleheaded arrow 82 of FIG. 5 is moveable within the limitsindicated by the double-headed arrow 84 and in this connection it is tobe added that, with reference to FIG. 2, the diameter of aperture 76 issuch as will permit the portion of the collar 70 which is of smallerdiameter and contains the locking element 72 to be accommodated thereinso that the clamping assembly may be moved to the right so much thecloser to the rocker flange 50.

The expression rocker flange" has been chosen to describe the portion sodesignated due to its approximate correspondence with what are calledthe rockers of present day automobiles, same being the body workexisting between the front and back wheels below the doors. Reference torestricting means 16 for confining said vehicle to vehicle contactingportions of said track means" refers, in the particular structuresherein illustrated to the outwardly V-d vehicle contacting portions ofthe track means in combination with the complementary recesses 30.

OPERATION The vehicle 12 with clamping assembly separated sufficientlyfrom the roller assemblies 80 to straddle the track means 14 is placedupon said track means. The clamping means are now locked on. In otherwords the element 64 is rotated so that the post 36 and beam 32 areadvanced leftwardly with respect to the drawings until the rollers makecomfortable rolling contact with the surfaces 18. If the rollers 16remain out of contact by being too far to the left, rotation of theelement 64 is continued until they are drawn to the right under theinfluence of the pressure of the rollers 20 against the adjacentsurfaces 18.

In view of the floating, or balanced or uniformly loaded condition whichmust, following the aforesaid activity exist as between all four of therollers 20, four point contact exists as between all eight rollers andthe adjacent track bearing surfaces regardless of any slight differencessuch for instance as those which have been referred to at thecommencement of this specification in the said rollers or theirassociated parts. Also, it is to be noted at this point that if anyroughnesses causing unwanted promontories exist in the surfaces 18caused for example by rough treatment of the relatively soft alloy ofwhich the same is made the rollers will negotiate same and yield theretoon account of their being pivotted to the post 36 via the beam 32.

When it is desired to unlock and remove the vehicle 12 from the trackmeans 14, the element 64 is rotated in a reverse direction to'permit theclamping assembly 10 to move to the right until the rollers are free ofbeing intercepted by the outer extremities 18 of the track means 14.

Various modifications can be made within the scope of the inventiveconcept disclosed. Accordingly, it is intended that what is set forthherein should be regarded as illustrative of such concept and not forthe purpose of limiting protection to any particular embodiment thereof,and that only such limitations should be placed upon the scope ofprotection to which the inventor hereof is entitled, as justicedictates.

What is claimed is:

l. A clamping assembly for use with the combination embodying (i) avehicle, (ii) track means,-(iii) restricting means for confining saidvehicle to vehicle contacting portions of said track means, and (iv)transversely variable spacable wheel or roller means, said clampingassembly being characterized by comprising a twopoint load-balancingroller-to-track locking and releasing means movable bodily toward oraway from said contacting portions, a mounting assembly, manuallyoperable means for moving said locking and releasing means'twoard oraway from said vehicle contacting portions while in said mountingassembly, said clamping assembly being attached to said vehicle, saidwheel or roller means being swivellably connected to said locking andreleasing means in substantially spaced relationship, and a pair ofsubstantially spaced wheel or roller assemblies, each pair having twoangularly related wheels or rollers, said locking and releasing meansincluding a horizontally disposed beam, said wheel or roller assembliesbeing attached to the opposite ends of said beam.

2. The clamping assembly according to claim 1 in which said beam ispivotally connected substantially centrally thereof to said mountingassembly for limited rotation in a horizontal plane.

3. The wheel or roller assemblies according to claim 1 in which eachassembly is characterized by being in the form of a pair of swivellinggenerally flat-tired rollers arranged in axially co-planar axiallyangular relationship so as to present a recess on the common axial planeof said pair, which recess is essentially of V- conformation so as toengage an elongated complementary conformation of the vehicle contactingportions of said track means. i

4. The clamping assembly according to claim 3 in which said beam ispivotally connected substantially centrally thereof to said mountingassembly for limiting rotation in a horizontal plane.

5. The clamping assembly according to claim 3 in which said beam iswholly moveable sideways toward to away from said track means throughthe agency of said manually operable means.

6. The clamping assembly according to claim 3 in which said beam is alsorotatable through a limited horizontal arc about its center point.

7. The invention according to claim 3 in which said manually operablemeans are in the form of screw means secured for rotation without thrustin at least one of a pair of rocker flanges on said vehicle, said screwmeans projecting inwardly from said rocker flanges, said locking andreleasing means being threadably connected to said screw means forinward and outward movement upon manual operation of said screw means tolock said wheel or roller assemblies to said track means and release thesame therefrom respectively, said beam lying essentially parallel tosaid rocker flanges upon the inner sides thereof.

, 8. The clamping assembly according to claim 1 in which said wheel orroller means are in the form of a pair of substantially spaced wheel orroller assemblies, said locking and releasing means including ahorizontally disposed beam, said wheel or roller assemblies beingattached to the opposite ends of said beam, said beam being moveablehorizontally sideways toward or away from said track means vehiclecontacting portions on actuation of said manually operable means, saidbeam being pivotally connected to said mounting means for limitedrotation in a horizontal plane, said beam being so rotatable aboutsubstantially its center.

9. 'The locking and releasing means according to claim 8 in which saidmanually operable means are in the form of screw means secured forrotation without thrust in at least one of the rocker flanges of saidvehicle and projecting inwardly therefrom, said locking and releasingmeans including a vertical post, said bean being rotatably mounted uponsaid post, said post being provided with a screw-threaded aperture atright angles to its vertical axis, said screw means extending throughsaid screw-threaded aperture for causing inward and outward movement ofsaid post and beam upon manual operation of said screw means and therebyrollably lock said wheel or roller assemblies to said track means orrelease the same therefrom respectively, said mounting assemblyincluding guide means for controlling the inward and outward movement ofsaid beam and post at right angles to the direction of travel of saidcarriage.

10. The clamping assembly according to claim 1 in which said wheel orroller means are in the form of a pair of substantially spaced wheel orroller assemblies, said locking and releasing means including ahorizontally disposed beam, said wheel or roller assemblies beingattached to the opposite ends of said beam, said beam being moveablehorizontally sideways toward or away from said track means vehiclecontacting portions on actuation of said manually operable means, saidbeam being pivotally connected to said mounting means for limitedrotation in a horizontal plane, said beam being so rotatable aboutsubstantially its center.

11. The locking and releasing means according to claim 10 in which saidmanually operable means are in the form of screw means secured forrotation without thrust in at least one of the rocker flanges of saidvehicle and projecting inwardly therefrom, said locking and releasingmeans including a vertical post, said beam being rotatably mounted uponsaid post, said post being provided with a screw-threaded aperture atright angles to its vertical axis, said screw means extending throughsaid screw-threaded aperture for causing inward and outward movement ofsaid post and beam upon manual operation of said screw means and therebyrollably lock said wheel or roller assemblies to said track means orrelease the same therefrom respectively, said mounting assemblyincluding guide means for controlling the inward and outward movement ofsaid beam and post at right angles to the direction of travel of saidcarriage.

12. The clamping assembly according to claim 1 in which said beam iswholly moveable sideways toward or away from said track means throughthe agency of said manually operable means.

13. The clamping assembly according to claim 12 in which said beam isalso rotatable through a limited horizontal are about its center point.

14. The locking and releasing means according to claim 1 in which saidmanually operable means are in the form of screw means secured forrotation without thrust in at least one of a pair of rocker flanges onsaid vehicle, said screw means projecting inwardly from said rockerflanges, said locking and releasing means being threadably connected tosaid screw means for inward and outward movement upon manual operationof said screw means to lock said wheel or roller assemblies to saidtrack means and release the same therefrom respectively, said beam lyingessentially parallel to said rocker flanges upon the inner sidesthereof.

1. A clamping assembly for use with the combination embodying (i) avehicle, (ii) track means, (iii) restricting means for confining saidvehicle to vehicle contacting portions of said track means, and (iv)transversely variable spacable wheel or roller means, said clampingassembly being characterized by comprising a two-point load-balancingroller-to-track locking and releasing means movable bodily toward oraway from said contacting portions, a mounting assembly, manuallyoperable means for moving said locking and releasing means twoard oraway from said vehicle contacting portions while in said mountingassembly, said clamping assembly being attached to said vehicle, saidwheel or roller means being swivellably connected to said locking andreleasing means in substantially spaced relationship, and a pair ofsubstantially spaced wheel or roller assemblies, each pair having twoangularly related wheels or rollers, said locking and releasing meansincluding a horizontally disposed beam, said wheel or roller assembliesbeing attached to the opposite ends of said beam.
 2. The clampingassembly according to claim 1 in which said beam is pivotally connectedsubstantially centrally thereof to said mounting assembly for limitedrotation in a horizontal plane.
 3. The wheel or roller assembliesaccording to claim 1 in which each assembly is characterized by being inthe form of a pair of swivelling generally flat-tired rollers arrangedin axially co-planar axially angular relationship so as to present arecess on the common axial plane of said pair, which recess isessentially of V-conformation so as to engage an elongated complementaryconformation of the vehicle contacting portions of said track means. 4.The clamping assembly according to claim 3 in which said beam ispivotally connected substantially centrally thereof to said mountingassembly for limiting rotation in a horizontal plane.
 5. The clampingassembly according to claim 3 in which said beam is wholly moveablesideways toward to away from said track means through the agency of saidmanually operable means.
 6. The clamping assembly according to claim 3in which said beam is also rotatable through a limited horizontal arcabout its center point.
 7. The invention according to claim 3 in whichsaid manually operable means are in the form of screw means secured forrotation without thrust in at least one of a pair of rocker flanges onsaid vehicle, said screw means projecting inwardly from said rockerflanges, said locking and releasing means being threadably connected tosaid screw means for inward and outward movement upon manual operationof said screw means to lock said wheel or roller assemblies to saidtrack means and release the same therefrom respectively, said beam lyingessentially parallel to said rocker flanges upon the inner sidesthereof.
 8. The clamping assembly according to claim 1 in which saidwheel or roller means are in the form of a pair of substantially spacedwheel or roller assemblies, said locking and releasing means including ahorizontally disposed beam, said wheel or roller assemblies beingattached to the opposite ends of said bEam, said beam being moveablehorizontally sideways toward or away from said track means vehiclecontacting portions on actuation of said manually operable means, saidbeam being pivotally connected to said mounting means for limitedrotation in a horizontal plane, said beam being so rotatable aboutsubstantially its center.
 9. The locking and releasing means accordingto claim 8 in which said manually operable means are in the form ofscrew means secured for rotation without thrust in at least one of therocker flanges of said vehicle and projecting inwardly therefrom, saidlocking and releasing means including a vertical post, said bean beingrotatably mounted upon said post, said post being provided with ascrew-threaded aperture at right angles to its vertical axis, said screwmeans extending through said screw-threaded aperture for causing inwardand outward movement of said post and beam upon manual operation of saidscrew means and thereby rollably lock said wheel or roller assemblies tosaid track means or release the same therefrom respectively, saidmounting assembly including guide means for controlling the inward andoutward movement of said beam and post at right angles to the directionof travel of said carriage.
 10. The clamping assembly according to claim1 in which said wheel or roller means are in the form of a pair ofsubstantially spaced wheel or roller assemblies, said locking andreleasing means including a horizontally disposed beam, said wheel orroller assemblies being attached to the opposite ends of said beam, saidbeam being moveable horizontally sideways toward or away from said trackmeans vehicle contacting portions on actuation of said manually operablemeans, said beam being pivotally connected to said mounting means forlimited rotation in a horizontal plane, said beam being so rotatableabout substantially its center.
 11. The locking and releasing meansaccording to claim 10 in which said manually operable means are in theform of screw means secured for rotation without thrust in at least oneof the rocker flanges of said vehicle and projecting inwardly therefrom,said locking and releasing means including a vertical post, said beambeing rotatably mounted upon said post, said post being provided with ascrew-threaded aperture at right angles to its vertical axis, said screwmeans extending through said screw-threaded aperture for causing inwardand outward movement of said post and beam upon manual operation of saidscrew means and thereby rollably lock said wheel or roller assemblies tosaid track means or release the same therefrom respectively, saidmounting assembly including guide means for controlling the inward andoutward movement of said beam and post at right angles to the directionof travel of said carriage.
 12. The clamping assembly according to claim1 in which said beam is wholly moveable sideways toward or away fromsaid track means through the agency of said manually operable means. 13.The clamping assembly according to claim 12 in which said beam is alsorotatable through a limited horizontal arc about its center point. 14.The locking and releasing means according to claim 1 in which saidmanually operable means are in the form of screw means secured forrotation without thrust in at least one of a pair of rocker flanges onsaid vehicle, said screw means projecting inwardly from said rockerflanges, said locking and releasing means being threadably connected tosaid screw means for inward and outward movement upon manual operationof said screw means to lock said wheel or roller assemblies to saidtrack means and release the same therefrom respectively, said beam lyingessentially parallel to said rocker flanges upon the inner sidesthereof.